Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Disability and Handicap

Disability and Handicap

Disability is a present when a tissue, organ, or system
cannot function adequately. A handicap exists when disability interferes with a
patient’s daily activities or social/occupational performance. A marked
disability does not necessarily cause a handicap. Conversely, minor disability
may produce a major handicap. Both conditions require separate assessment.
Patients’ perception of their problems will be molded by their adaptation to
the depreciated tissue as well as their aspirations for recovery.

Assessing Disability

An aid in assessing the more important aspects of disability
is the PILS mnemonic, which considers four issues:

1.P
Preventable causes of disability (e.g., falls, direct trauma)

2.I
Independence (e.g., self-care)

3.L Lifestyle
(roles, goals)

4.S
Social factors (e.g., family, friends, shelter)

Functional Assessment

A complete functional assessment includes evaluation of the
following: